District



R. H. GILBERT.

PNEUMATIC RAILWAY.

Patented Feb. 8, 1870.

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COLUMBIA Letters Patent No. 99,663, dated February 8, 187() mrnovnmnnmm ATMOSPHERIC TRANSPORTATION.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and makingpart of the same following jto boa full, clear, and exact dcscription of tlie some.

My invenliourclatcs to devices whereby to raise and lower whatever is to be transmitted, as hereinafter made known, and to an; elevated tube, in communication with a; rcsorvolr of compressed air, constipcted as herealicr describcd, and which tube is provided with gutcswhich serve the purpose of stopping cars when undesmot ion insidoof flu; tube, when-it is desired so to do, b dmittingcompressed air between the gates and the "us, or'which compressed air may he usod to cause maroon] spo edol" the cars; said tube to be supported in an elevated position, substantially as sol;

forth in the specification and drawings.

It, also relates to certain dcvices for tologmphing, which are in part operated by the cars when passing, thoroby communicating to the managingmllicc, or any given point, tho rnovcmonl; 0r locality of the cars, so that they may be stopped or forwarded, as may be desired.

My invention also includes doviccs ior compressing the all taken from the lube, and which is exhausted from it, in front of {Hg ours, to assist their movement,

or allain the uranium; speed, into airchamhors or reservoirs, situatcd'at such localities along the lino as may be most advantageous in the use of the power therein stored up, or as may best he adaptod for controlling the movcmentol the cars, as at the fool; of steep gradients, or such points as may require additional power. Said chanibor may he placed in cities, on the tops of buildings, and so'conucotcd by tubes,

,that the air ihcrcin may be transmitted from one to fax iolher, and therein compressed by any available power" at remote distances s In ordor to enable others skilled in the arts and soiQhces-to which my invention appcrtaius, to construct; and usc the some, I will proceed to describe the rariou's parts of the some with reference of each to the other parts, for producing the desired functions and results, j

In theaccompani'ing drawing i B l3 sheer}, rcpresent arches, ol'iron or other mrong' I material,eleva gedover iiallysupportihg tube A, in which cars are to more,

streets or buildings, substanand which who may be of iron or wood, Bnrnctizcd, or

' otherwise prpared, to prevent shrinkage and decay,

and which may on tonguod and grooved, and surrounded with bands of iron, to ho tightcncd byscrows, as soon in Figure 11, sheet 3. \Vhero grratcrstrength is necessary, as may be the case at the starting and stopping-points of the cars, it may be attained by whaling spirally, and at rightanglos, altcrnato layers of thin narrow strips of wood, well comcntcd togcthcr, and of similar construction to that. shown in Figure 10, shoot 3.

O 0 represent two upright cylinders, of iron or other suitable material, between which is a, movable platform, I), the object of which is to elevate and lower transit material to and from the tube A, through tho agency of air compresscd'by the blower I, hereinafter described, the air to pass through pipe J above or below piston E, connected to platform 1) by wire rope I, extending up and over pulleys G G, firmly It-- tuchcd to cylinders (J 0 by supports H H.

Wuon platlinm I) isploving upward, its inner edge is stopped at, the inonl hol' tube A, j ust before the pistons E E roach tho bottom of cylinders O G, and which causes the platform ID to incline toward the oponin; ot'tho tube A, shown in Figure 2, so that tho cars, by the power of gravitation, will enter the opening, when gate L, also slnfwu in fig. .5, supported by cords M M, attached to weight N, and its opposite, not shown in the drawing; is lowcrcd in gate-way 1", closing tube A, and lhus tho ronn'nossod air from cylinders G C is compelled to outer tube A through pipe Q, bot-wccn gato- L and tho cars just entered, giving them a forward mot-ion, or increasing their speed, which may be maintainod or further increased by the acliolr of the blowers 1, atthe starting-point, by compressing air in the tube A, behind the cars, through pipe R, which comuulnionlos with reservoir K, shown in Fig- 'urc 9, shocl7 3, and which also couununicatcs with tube A, while blowcr I, at, the terminus ol'the section alii tho loll; of shoot 1, is oxlnursbing the air from tube A in front of the cars, and forcing it up into other reservoirs K on the tops of buildings, as shown in fig. ll, sheet 3, or which may bc'silzuatod elscwhorc, it more convenient, through pipc R, leading to the same, from where it can be taken for stopping the cars, when desired, by allowing it, to color the tube A bebwocn thn caisland the gate L at the proper time; or the air may he used for still l'nrthcr mot-ion and speed, aftc-r gate L has been opend to allow the cars to pass, and again closed, by the a-ir entering tube A through pipe S, at the commencement: of another section, when the ems are again acted upon by compressing the air back of the cars, and inducing a; vacuum in from; of

them, using the combined action of blowers and reser- YOIIS, or each iiulepoudontly, as may best suit the purpose.

'1, with its opposite, not shown in the drawings,

rcprosonts weights, attached, by cord U and its opposite, to lower part of gate L, shown in section, Figure s 3, sheet; 2, whereby 0 draw the gato upward and close tube A, for stopping the cars, when rodV is withdrawn from gate-way P by the cars when passing lever W, which said lever extends into tube A, as shown in Figure 4, thereby liberating the gate L; air also being forced into tube A, by the blower I through pipe X, or from the reservoir K, at the proper times.

y a reverse arrangement of gate L and weights '1, the automatic action of the devices hereinbctbre referred to, the cars will open gates L, and close them, after having passed, by the action of the devices just mentioned; or the gates can otherwise be closed, signals having been communicated to the proper stations, as also to the general managing-office, by the cars in tube A passing and acting on telegraph Y, which is shown in fig. 4, sheet 2, and which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Z is a safety-valve, arranged to prevent any excess of pressure in tube A, and which may be situated at any point most convenient.

A, fig. 4, further shown at a a, fig. 1, are metallic conducting-pins, attached to the ground-wires D, and

properly insulated. 'lhese pins are held from contact with telegraph-wire B, extending along the line to the various stations, shown in fig. 1, sheet 1, by spiral springs 0, except when depressed by the cars when passing, thereby forming a connection with the telegraph-wire '13, thus opening or breaking the circuit, and which will be indicated at the proper stations. The number of said connecting-pins and their relative distances from each other, are to be so arranged as to communicate diiferent signals along the line, as circumstances may require.

* 1, fig. 1, represents the blower, which maybe of any suitable construction, and is connected to the cylinders O O, and reservoirs K, and the tube, as clearly shown in the drawings.

Having described my said invention and the objects thereof.

What I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The construction and arrangement of tube A, supported on arches, or in any suitable way, when provided with the gates L L, reservoirs K K, and elevating-platform D, and blower I, with the connectingpipes, all substantially as herein set forth.

2. In combination with the tube A, with its gates and clevatiug-platlorm, and the blower and connecting-pipes, the cylinders O C, with pistons, ropes, and pulleys, all arranged to operate as set forth.

3. The construction and arrangement of the gates L, moving in ways-P, and weights '1, in combination with the rod V and lever W, substantially as set forth.

4. In combination with the gates thus hung, and operated by the rods and levers, the safety-valve Z, located near the gates, as and for the purpose herein set forth. 1

5. The combination and arrangement of the telegraph-device Y, consisting of the conducting metallic pins a a ground-wires I), telegraph-wire- B", and spiral wires 0, all substantially for the purposes and in the manner herein, Set forth.

RUFUS H. GILBERT.

Witnesses:

'1. A. 000K, Ema. 1*. Bnown. 

